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On Sunday, almost 11 years shy of Sodhi’s death, a man walked into a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wis., and killed six congregants Sunday, according to police.

“This is something we have been fearing since 9/11, that this kind of incident will take place,” Rajwant Singh, the chairman of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education, told The Associated Press.

The suspect, Wade Michael Page, had ties to white supremacist groups, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Page was reportedly killed by police.

“It is important to note that this is only one of a growing number of incidents of violence that Sikhs have experienced in recent years,” Sapreet Kaur, the executive director of the Sikh Coalition, said in a statement. “Freedom of religion is a fundamental tenet of democracy, and it’s incredibly sad that victims were shot down while exercising that right in the peace of their Gurdwara.”

Sikhs are mistaken for Muslims, even though Sikhism is not Abrahamic and did not originate in the Middle East. Founded in 15th century India, it is monotheistic and asks followers to live an exemplary life. Sikhs rejected their homeland’s caste system and continue to place a large emphasis on equality. Baptized Sikhs wear turbans, stop cutting their beards and hair and carry a ceremonial dagger.

Muslim men, of course, also wear turbans and allow their beards to grow out. The resulting confusion has made Sikhs the target of violence, derision and discrimination. In July 2004, two Sikh men were beaten in New York by men who mocked them for wearing turbans. In December 2001, two men beat a Sikh shopowner in Los Angeles with metal poles, saying, “We’ll kill bin Laden today.” In 2010, a Sikh cab driver in West Sacramento, Calif., suffered spinal fractures after a passenger attacked him and called him a Muslim.

Readers' Comments (14)

A police sting is necessary to ferret out White Supremacists and Gestapo Wannabes. Federal agents posing as distributors of Nazi flags can cuff thousands of racists. Swat teams could raid their homes and burn the Nazi symbols hidden in the basements of these Hitlerian perverts.

The crazy lie that the Muslim Brotherhood infiltrated the highest level of government contributed to sending this animal over the edge. Any American of color should worry that an idiot will mistake them for an Islamic terrorist. Michelle Bachmann, Louie Gohmert and Gaffney should be charged for inciting violence.

"A police sting is necessary to ferret out White Supremacists and Gestapo Wannabes. Federal agents posing as distributors of Nazi flags can cuff thousands of racists. Swat teams could raid their homes and burn the Nazi symbols hidden in the basements of these Hitlerian perverts."

It is every American's right to be a Nazi. Just as it is their right to be a Democrat, Republican, Communist, or Whig.

We need to get better at distinguishing between the folks who are going to post racist comments on POLITICO and then go to their jobs at Burger King from the ones who are going to shoot up mosques and temples. Nazism is not a crime. Conspiracy is.

And we need to vote out of office the hateful bigots like Bachmann and Gohmert who create a political environment that encourages violence, fear, and hate.

"Michelle Bachmann, Louie Gohmert and Gaffney should be charged for inciting violence." No, they were exercising their right to free speech. Alleging Islamic infiltration of the Justice Department is a far cry from shouting "fire!" in a crowded theater, or encouraging Americans to engage in acts of violence. The should be removed from office for creating a hateful national climate. But that should happen at the ballot box, not in a courtroom.

The white suprem (a.k.a. teabirther) that did the shooting doesn't care. They were non-white, non-Christians. That is why they were targeted. Sherrif is right; it is the teabirther terrorists in our congress (Bachmann, King, West) along with Faux "News" and hate radio that add fuel to the teabirthers' racisim and violence.

A suspicious fire destroyed a Joplin, Mo., mosque early today, just a month after its roof was damaged by an arsonist, according to news reports.

The Islamic Society of Joplin served about 50 families. Several members are doctors in area hospitals. It opened in 2007, and in 2008 an arsonist burned its sign, the Associated Press says.

The FBI is investigating whether today's fire, reported about 3:30 a.m., was arson and a hate crime. A fire-damaged surveillance camera was sent to the FBI, a fire official told the Globe.

Imam Lahmuddin, the leader of the Islamic Society of Joplin, Mo., outside the remains of the mosque Monday.

The fire came during Ramadan, Muslims' holy month. The mosque's leader, Imam Lahmuddin, told The Joplin Globe that he and several worshipers left about 11:20 p.m. Sunday after prayers and were to return at 5 a.m..

"This should not stop us from serving God," he said. "We still have to fulfill our obligation. We will do our prayer in other places. If we don't find a place, we will do our prayers in our home. We cannot miss any of the five prayers."

Lahmuddin said the mosque has good relations with residents and churches.

The FBI released this surveillance-video image of the man who threw a flaming object onto the roof of the Islamic Society of Joplin, Mo., early on July 4. The agency is investigating whether the fire that destroyed the mosque Monday was also arson.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the arsonist.

On July 4, also about 3:30 a.m., surveillance video released by the FBI showed what appeared to be a white man throwing "an ignited object" onto the mosque's roof. Jasper County firefighters extinguished the flames, and damage was minor. Wednesday, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives offered a $15,000 reward.

The article makes a glaring mistake by making the blanket statement, "Muslim men, of course, also wear turbans and allow their beards to grow out." Nuance needed.

Most Muslims actually dont wear turbans. If you travel to the Middle East, Turkey, or Indonesia (largest muslim nation in the world) for example you would see few, if any, turbans among the populace. If anything, its a headgear worn by many in the Indian sub continent alone.

Similarly many muslim dont have a beard. Contrast this with Sikh males where cutting hair is forbidden in the sikh religion (i.e., they all have beards). The lack of nuance in the article takes away from what would otherwise be an interesting and pertinent article

The white suprem (a.k.a. teabirther) that did the shooting doesn't care. They were non-white, non-Christians. That is why they were targeted. Sherrif is right; it is the teabirther terrorists in our congress (Bachmann, King, West) along with Faux "News" and hate radio that add fuel to the teabirthers' racisim and violence.

Well that didn't take long did it? The minute I heard that this horrific act was committed by a white supremist, neo-natzi, nutcase, I knew your long-awaited dream came true, no matter how ridiculous or remote the connection you have made. I even noted that another poster credited the GOP for this mass murder.

You and your ilk clearly get off on this crap but, rest assured, your insanity isn't winning over anyone capable of a scintilla of reason and logic.

It is too bad that almost all Americans are totally clueless about almost everything to do with geography, demography, history, etc. I live in the central valley of California, with thousands of Sikhs and others from India and Pakistan, both Hindu and Muslim. The central vally has many Sikh owned farms. 2 of my doctors are Sikhs, as is the owner of my corner liquor store.

This is another instance where a clueless white man confused Sikhs with Muslims. I don't know anything about the Sikh religion, but I DO know that they are not muslims. Maybe it is due to Wisconsin not having so many immigrants as California, who knows. I am sickened by the actions of this guy, Page.

"Michelle Bachmann, Louie Gohmert and Gaffney should be charged for inciting violence." No, they were exercising their right to free speech. Alleging Islamic infiltration of the Justice Department is a far cry from shouting "fire!" in a crowded theater, or encouraging Americans to engage in acts of violence. The should be removed from office for creating a hateful national

SheriffHarrySTruman: Aug. 6, 2012 - 4:29 PM EST

"A police sting is necessary to ferret out White Supremacists and Gestapo Wannabes. Federal agents posing as distributors of Nazi flags can cuff thousands of racists. Swat teams could raid their homes and burn the Nazi symbols hidden in the basements of these Hitlerian perverts."

It is every American's right to be a Nazi. Just as it is their right to be a Democrat, Republican, Communist, or Whig.

Very good posts, both of them. If you are really a democrat, you are a very rare kind of democrat these days, a man who believes in the constitution. My compliments. Most leftists are only too happy to do away with the bill of rights, as "rabid moderate" demonstrates with his hysteria.

This is another instance where a clueless white man confused Sikhs with Muslims. I don't know anything about the Sikh religion, but I DO know that they are not muslims. Maybe it is due to Wisconsin not having so many immigrants as California, who knows. I am sickened by the actions of this guy, Page.

Clueless white man? I have lived in very diverse areas of the Northeast, in California and in Florida, areas of the U.S. where one is far more likely to be exposed to different cultures. And, I have always had an above average interest in learning about other cultures. That being said, in my experience, the white man is not any more or less clueless than other races.

I have come across some virulent hateful posts on some of these threads, check out any thread with an article about Eric Holder, some posts are fairly violent as well. It is important to confront this blatant hate and report any troubling posts that encourage violence.